As A Working Parent, How Can I Volunteer At School?

Working full time or having younger children at home can truly limit how involved you can be at your child's school. At the very beginning of school write a letter to your child's teacher introducing yourself and letting the teacher know you want to be involved. Be honest with the teacher on how much time you can volunteer and any skills you could offer. By being acquainted with your child's teacher early on, you will find it easier to maintain a positive relationship as the year progresses.

There are many ways to get involved in the classroom, even you work full time or have small children at home according to Stacy DeBroff:

1. Put together materials for the art class.

2. Help arrange a class trip from home.

3. Take time off from work or get someone to watch the small ones to chaperone a field trip.

4. Help coordinate a school fund-raiser.

5 Provide refreshments fro an event.

6. Get copies of activities, projects, or test for the entire class. (Copies are getting to be very expensive for the schools and teachers)

7. Give an hour to run a booth at a weekend school event.

8. Cut out patterns or material for a project.

9. Help decorate for special events after school or on the weekends.

10. Correlate and staple activity packets.

Remember your attendance at your child's special events at school shows your child how much you value education. Even if you work or have small children at home, make every effort to be there to cheer you child on. If you can't hire a babysitter, bring the younger children along with you. If you absolutely can't make it, find someone important in your child's life who can.